Guts UK Charity

What Guts UK Charity does

Guts UK Charity (UK Charity Registration No. 1137029), founded in 1971 and headquartered in London with a second office in Huddersfield, is the self-described national charity for the digestive system in the United Kingdom. It operates as a non-profit with a small team (1–10 employees) and delivers three integrated programmes — expert patient information, medical research funding, and public awareness — built around a website-centric information platform covering more than 40 digestive conditions and symptoms. Core products include the website and information portal, a phone-and-online helpline (0300 102 4887), the Poo-Torial interactive Bristol Stool Chart reference tool, the 'This Can't Wait' toilet-access card, evidence-based patient information leaflets distributed to NHS hospitals and GP surgeries, webinars, and a bi-annual 'That Gut Feeling' magazine. The technology stack is modest: a content website with Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel supporting marketing; no AI/ML, mobile app, or API surface is disclosed.

The charity's research arm funds academic and clinical projects — for example a £49,560 grant awarded in October 2020 to Dr. Marnix Jansen's team at University College Hospital London for the TARGET stomach cancer study — alongside multi-researcher grants across pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, liver cancer, IBD, oesophageal cancer and other conditions, and partners with the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, the British Society of Gastroenterology's Gut Microbiome Expert Panel, and MHRA-licensed FMT stool banks at the University of Birmingham Microbiome Treatment Centre and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust.

Guts UK earns no fee-for-service revenue; instead it is funded through diversified donation streams including one-off and regular giving, a weekly lottery (prizes up to £25,000), challenge events, do-it-yourself fundraising, corporate partnerships, legacies and bequests, memorial giving, and an online merchandise shop. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging organic social media across Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, a monthly email newsletter, PR and earned media, awareness campaigns (including 'Let's Talk Guts!' and Kranky Panky), and public appearances with its inflatable colon 'Colin', with no disclosed revenue figures and no parent company, private equity or venture capital ownership.

Name

Guts UK Charity

Legal name

Guts UK Charity

Website

https://gutscharity.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Guts UK Charity is the UK national charity for the digestive system, providing PIF TICK-accredited patient information on 40+ digestive conditions, funding medical research, and operating a helpline, Poo-Torial tool and awareness campaigns for the British public and NHS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Charity Services

akta.pro primary industry

General Gastroenterology (HLAKAEAA)

Keywords

• Digestive health information
• Medical research funding
• Patient support services
• Health awareness campaigns
• Digestive disease charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: The charity receives one-off and regular donations from supporters. Regular donations allow planning ahead and increase reach and support. Single donations support specific initiatives.
2. Weekly Lottery: Guts UK operates a weekly lottery with prizes up to £25,000 every Friday, providing a regular fundraising stream.
3. Fundraising Activities: The charity receives income from challenge events, do-it-yourself fundraising, and corporate partnerships.
4. Legacies and Bequests: Supporters can leave a gift in their Will to Guts UK, providing long-term legacy giving.
5. Memorial Giving: Supporters can give in memory of loved ones through the 'Remember a loved one' programme.
6. Shop Sales: Guts UK operates an online shop selling branded merchandise.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Guts UK Charity is the UK national charity for the digestive system, providing expert, evidence-based information on more than 40 digestive conditions and symptoms, funding medical research into digestive diseases, and operating direct patient support services including a helpline, interactive self-assessment tools, and printed patient information leaflets distributed to hospitals and GP surgeries.

Product overview

Guts UK Charity operates as the national charity for the digestive system in the UK, offering a comprehensive suite of information resources and support services centered around digestive health. The core offering is the organization's website and information portal, which provides expert patient information on over 40 digestive conditions and symptoms. Key products include the Poo-Torial tool (a free online tool for checking poo colour, consistency and frequency), a dedicated Helpline Service, patient information leaflets, and the This Can't Wait Card. The organization also funds medical research into digestive diseases and runs awareness campaigns. Additional services include a Weekly Lottery for fundraising, the biannual 'That Gut Feeling' magazine, webinars, and health and lifestyle information covering gut microbiome, testing, and dietary guidance. The portfolio functions as an integrated support ecosystem designed to inform, support, and empower people affected by digestive conditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Helpline Service A dedicated telephone (0300 102 4887) and online helpline providing information, guidance, and signposting to people affected by digestive conditions and symptoms in the UK, available Monday to Friday 10am-2pm.
• Poo-Torial Tool A free online interactive tool that helps users check the colour, consistency, and frequency of their poo to better understand their digestive health and identify when something might not be normal.
• This Can't Wait Card A free card designed for people living with digestive conditions that impact everyday life, helping them communicate urgent bathroom needs in public settings.
• Patient Information Leaflets Evidence-based, jargon-free printed and digital information leaflets on 40+ digestive conditions and symptoms, PIF TICK accredited, distributed to hospitals, GP surgeries, and healthcare settings for professionals to give to patients.
• Weekly Lottery A weekly lottery where participants can win up to £25,000 every Friday, with proceeds supporting the charity's research and information work.
• Research Funding Program Guts UK funds research projects that seek to better understand, diagnose, treat, and prevent digestive conditions, including grants, awards, and Priority Setting Partnerships for researchers.
• That Gut Feeling Magazine A bi-annual magazine featuring the latest research developments, patient stories, and information about digestive health.
• Educational Webinars Online educational webinars about digestive conditions, symptoms, and health topics presented by healthcare professionals and experts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Digestive diseases are a factor in 1 in 8 deaths in the UK
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Patient Information ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Guts UK gained PIF TICK accreditation from the Patient Information Forum in 2023, demonstrating their information production process meets criteria for trustworthy health information.
• University College Hospital LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuts UK funds research projects led by Dr. Marnix Jansen and his team at University College Hospital London, awarded £49,560 for stomach cancer research (The TARGET Study).
• University of Birmingham Microbiome Treatment CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe largest UK FMT centre holds a stool bank license from MHRA and can provide FMT samples for clinical trials and treatment of C. diff infection across the UK.
• Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensed FMT stool bank covering onsite administration of FMT via colonoscopy or oral capsules, and supplies capsule FMT for clinical trials at sites across the UK.
• Less Survivable Cancers TaskforcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuts UK is a member of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, working with other charities to raise awareness of the six less survivable cancers, four of which are digestive (pancreatic, oesophageal, stomach, liver).
• British Society of Gastroenterology (Gut Microbiome Expert Panel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGut Microbiome information leaflets reviewed by the Gut Microbiota for Health Expert Panel of the British Society of Gastroenterology.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• British Liver Trust: UK charity for liver disease, covering one of the three organ areas (gut, liver, pancreas) that Guts UK addresses. Mirrors the patient-information, helpline, and research-grant model for a sub-vertical of digestive health.
• Crohn's & Colitis UK: UK charity dedicated to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two of the digestive conditions explicitly covered by Guts UK. Operates the same model of patient information, helpline, research funding, and awareness campaigns within a narrower IBD sub-vertical.
• Pancreatic Cancer UK: UK charity focused on pancreatic cancer, one of the digestive cancers Guts UK highlights as part of the 'less survivable cancers' group. Same patient-info, research-funding, and awareness model with a narrower disease scope.
• Bowel Cancer UK: UK charity dedicated to bowel cancer, one of the digestive-system cancers within Guts UK's coverage. Closely aligned operating model around patient information, screening awareness, and research funding.
• Coeliac UK: UK charity for people with coeliac disease, one of the digestive conditions within Guts UK's 40+ covered conditions. Uses a near-identical playbook: patient information, helpline, research grants, and fundraising campaigns.

Emerging players

• Allergy UK: UK charity providing patient information, a helpline, and resources on allergies — a different clinical area but a closely comparable operating model (small team, PIF-accredited information, helpline, research advocacy) to Guts UK.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research UK: The UK's largest cancer-research charity and a member of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce alongside Guts UK. Operates a much broader portfolio but directly competes for donations supporting the digestive cancers Guts UK highlights.
• British Heart Foundation: One of the UK's largest health charities and a major competitor in the national health-charity fundraising market. While disease-focused differently, it competes for the same corporate partnerships, individual donors, and challenge-event participants.

Others

• Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce: Coalition of charities (including Guts UK as a member) that raises awareness of six less-survivable cancers, four of which are digestive. Thematically aligned ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• The Gut Foundation (Australia): Australian charity focused on gut and digestive health with similar patient-information and research-funding activities. Directly comparable mission but operates in a different geography, so does not compete for UK donors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CoreDDF
• Facebookfacebook.com/GutsCharityUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guts-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/gutscharityuk/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@gutscharityuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guts UK Charity